by Anne Mercier
the way with you
(the way, book 1)
International Bestselling Author
Anne Mercier
the way with you
Back To Me, Book 2
Finding a "happily ever after" was hard enough.
Keeping it is even harder.
Olivia Brennan and Cameron Stone have both gone through Hell and back to finally find their way to each other. With obstacles set against them, the struggle to stay connected is harder than ever. Between their academic schedules, Olivia's newfound campus infamy, and a conniving ex stirring up trouble, Liv and Cam begin to struggle to keep what they've worked so hard for
But when something unexpected fractures their trust, they must decide if they can repair what's left of their fragile love or will they discover that "happily ever after" is just for fairytales?
OTHER BOOKS BY ANNE MERCIER
The Rockstar Series
Falling Down(#1)
Blush (#2)
A Very Xander Christmas (#2.5) (Free short story)
Amplify(#3)
Interlude(#4)
Ballad(#5)
Lullabye (#6)
A Very Xander Christmas 2 (#6.5) (Free short story)
The Truths Series
Whispered Truths (#1)
Back To Me Series
The Way Back To Me
The Way With You
COPYRIGHT
The Way With You
ISBN: 978-0-9971000-9-9
Copyright ©2016 Anne Mercier
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental.
Cover Photo and Design: Sara Eirew of Sara Eirew Photography
Editor: Nicole at Proof Before You Publish
The use of actors, artists, and song titles and lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the respective owner's trademark.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and please purchase your own copy.
PERSONAL NOTE: The only pirate I like is Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Morgan, which means I'd appreciate if you'd keep my books to yourself. Pirating shows a clear lack of respect for the author—me. I'd rather not meet you on bad terms, so let's not do that, let's not meet that way. Let's meet at a signing or conference instead, or let's go have a cup of coffee or a drink—maybe some of that Captain Morgan! Thank you for respecting the time and effort put into each book. I appreciate it very much.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To The Readers- I'm blessed to have each and every one of you reading my books. Thank you!
To The Bloggers – Thank you for everything you do.
To The Rockstar Group – You make my days brighter. The way the group has formed, I consider it a family. Thanks for being a part of it.
To Mandi Wathey, Kathi Field, and Nicole Bailey – Thank you for helping me brainstorm. Thank you for reading the scenes when I'm plagued with doubt. Thank you for calming me down when I'm so nervous I want to puke. And most of all, thank you for being my best friends. I appreciate you more than you know.
To My Sister, Shelly – Thanks for being there for me when I'm freaking out, when I'm talking about things you have no clue about, and for keeping me stocked with fruit and candy. You're the best!
To My Mom – Who gets first read through of the finished product and always gives me honest feedback and constructive criticism. I appreciate both—thanks for believing, mom.
To My Dad – For your silent support and pride. Thank you your unwavering faith.
To Harper Bentley, Sapphire Knight, Dawn Stanton, TC Matson, Rhonda James, and Tracy Burke for helping me keep it real. Your belief in me helps me get through any doubt. Mwah!
To Rachel Van Dyken – You are one of the sweetest, most generous people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Thank you for reading The Way Back To Me when I know you were loaded with deadlines. Thank you for helping me feed the need for your Eagle Elite series by supplying me with ARCs. You totally rock!
To My Awesome PAs, Melissa Mendoza and Jaime S. Burns –You make my life easier in so many ways. You both are Godsends.
To My Street Team – Mandi Wathey, Melissa Ann, Jennifer Smith, Kelly Emery, Heather Wish, Kathi Field, and Veronica Garcia – You are my helpers and my promoters and my strongest supporters. I love you guys.
To Cassy Roop of Pink Ink Designs – Thanks for being so accommodating and kind. I'm so happy to have you making my books so beautiful! You're amazing!
To Sara Eirew – Photographer and cover designer extraordinaire as well as true friend – You are amazing. Thank you so much for making me the most beautiful covers ever!
To Nicole Bailey – Who worked through this book even while she was unwell. Thank you so, so much.
table of contents
dedication
prologue
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
epilogue
annes recs
the way with you playlist
the way with you – Liv – playlist
contact links
DEDICATION
To Dylan, Isaac, and Todd-
Thank you for sharing Nicole with me when I need her—and that's a lot!
I truly appreciate your sacrifice.
prologue
"Something wicked this way comes."
- Ray Bradbury
"OMIGOD, CAM!" I cry out as he thrusts into me, sending me over the edge into the abyss of pleasure only he can take me to.
"Come for me, Kitten," he growls as he pumps into me hard and fast. He lets out a groan and he slows down, his movements jerky as he finds his own release. I keep moving my hips, drawing out his pleasure just as he does for me.
"Holy fuck," he breathes out.
"You're so fucking good at that."
"I was just thinking the same thing about you." Our breathing is ragged as we cuddle together.
"You're going to kill me one of these times, Kitten. Those nails clawing my back and your pussy squeezing my cock," he shakes his head.
"If I'm too much for you…" I tease.
He pulls me closer, nuzzling my neck, and tickling me.
"Bully!" I cry and he chuckles.
"Not anymore." He looks down at me with so much love, it almost doesn't seem real. "I love you, Olivia."
"I love you, Cameron."
He kisses me softly, so softly. I love when he kisses me like this.
"I have something for you," he tells me with a grin.
"You do?" I perk up.
"Mhmm." He digs in his ni
ghtstand drawer and pulls out a flat rectangular box. We sit cross-legged facing one another, his knees touching mine. When he hands it to me and I can't stop my smile.
"What is it?" His knee bumps mine.
"Open it and see."
I look down at the box, then up at him, then back down. I open the box revealing a silver umbrella necklace. The raindrops are sapphires and the umbrella is green with emeralds, the umbrella pole diamonds. "Cameron," I whisper.
"You said my eyes reminded you of emeralds that day…" I nod.
"And you said mine reminded you of sapphires."
He nods back, taking the box from me and pulling out the necklace.
“And diamonds for my kitten.” I turn around, lifting my hair for him to put it on. "This way," he says, working to fasten the clasp, "you'll always have my umbrella to cover you. No more punishing rain for you."
"Oh Cam, this is…" I break off and sniffle, turning to throw myself at him, hugging him close.
"It's perfect."
"I'm glad you like it, Kitten."
"I love it!" I kiss him again, starting to heat things up. I can never get enough of him and I hope he can never get enough of me.
There's a knock at the door and I snicker when he curses.
"Five more minutes and I'd have had to cut a bitch," I say and Cam laughs.
"I'd have been buried deep inside you and then they could have fucked off," he replies, pulling his boxer briefs and jeans on.
This is only the third time I've been in his bedroom at the frat house and, while the privacy isn't the greatest, I like hanging with the guys and their girlfriends-or whatevers.
I pull Cam's t-shirt over my head and he opens the door.
"Hello Cameron," a silky female voice says and I stiffen.
"Alison? What the fuck are you doing here?" he asks, his tone not at all welcoming.
"I go to school here now, silly. Aren't you happy to see me?"
Alison.
Cam's first girlfriend.
A witch worse than Brittany.
This is going to be fun.
I walk over to Cam and snuggle into his side, his arm automatically wrapping around me. I love that.
Alison scoffs. "Really, Cameron. You can do so much better."
"Watch yourself," Cam warns.
"I'd heard you were slumming it, but this one?" she keeps going.
"Yep, Alison, it's me-Olivia Brennan. The only time Cam was slumming was when he was with you pretending you were anything more than a cheap piece of ass," I slam back. I don't know where the words come from but, holy cow, I like it.
Alison raises a brow. "Well, well. The muppet found her voice."
"What the fuck do you want, Alison?" Cam bites out.
"To see you," she breathes as she reaches out and runs a perfectly manicured finger down his chest.
I slap her hand and it falls to her side. Her mouth tightens, her brow furrows, her nostrils flare—how had I never noticed how ugly Alison is when she's angry?
"Just what do you think you're doing?" she seethes.
"Listen, Alison," I begin, stepping forward, out of Cam's embrace. "I was a different person in high school."
"So?"
I look over my shoulder at Cam and his brows are raised. I turn back to a deformed-faced Alison and smirk. "So… that means I've found more than my voice. I'm not afraid of you anymore."
If I could lie it off, I'd have no ass right now—totally lied off. I'm working very hard to hide the fact my entire body is shaking.
"I'm not afraid of you, Muppet, but you damn well should be afraid of me." She extends her index finger with a flick. She turns to walk away, calling over her shoulder, "Watch your back."
We watch as she turns the corner and Cam pulls me back into his room. He's holding me up at this point. My body's quaking so hard, my teeth are chattering. That bitch did some horribly mean things in high school—and not just to me.
"Are you okay?" Cam asks, helping me to sit on the bed.
I nod but the jerking of my head is a dead giveaway that I'm not.
"Calm down, Liv. She's likely more bark than her bite now. I mean, we're not high school kids anymore," he reasons.
"M-maybe. B-but she w-was so cruel."
Cam pulls me into a hug. "I'll make sure she stays away."
I lean into him. He might think he can influence her, but I know better. If Alison wants to bully or hurt me, nothing and no one will stand in her way—not even the starting running back for Prospect University.
one
I'm walking back to the dorm after class when someone bumps into me—hard. I look over, biting back a curse, and when I see it's Alison, I wish I'd let it out.
"What's your problem?" I bark.
"You. You're my problem," she sneers.
I roll my eyes. "Why is that? Because you want to screw Cam but he's with me? Because Cam made me his girlfriend when all you were to him was a piece of ass? Both of you," I correct when I see Brittany standing beside her.
"You little bitch. I'm going to ruin you," Brittany shouts.
I'm so afraid right now. I know what Alison is capable of—but with Brittany by her side? I can't even imagine. I swallow that fear and pretend. I'm good at that—pretending I'm okay.
"Could you be any more dramatic?"
Alison steps closer. "Watch yourself, Muppet. You're overstepping."
"No. I'm not. I'm minding my own business, living my life, and you nut jobs start with your threatening and bullying. What are you—twelve?" I mock.
Alison's nostrils flare. It reminds me of a bull in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. You know the one? Where the steam comes out of the bull's nostrils because Bugs keeps taunting it? That's the one. I smirk at the thought and Alison's hand comes flying at my face before I can even think.
She slaps me and she slaps me hard—not just once, but twice. The burn, the sting of the slaps hurts like a mofo. I won't cry, but I can't stop the tears that fill my eyes. Damn it. I hate showing her any signs of weakness.
"Feel better now?" I ask, lifting my chin.
She hides the shock well, but I still get a glimpse. I am not the same girl I once was. I'm not sure who I am, exactly, but I'm no longer weak.
She cocks out a hip. "A little. But Muppet? There's a lot worse coming."
She walks away in her tight skirt and high-heeled boots, Brittany following behind with a grin telling me she thinks they won that round.
Sorry girls. Not this round.
"You're going to need ice," Sebastian says as he walks up beside me, touching my face but not my cheek directly, taking in the wound. "Motherfucker. It's already bruising."
"Lovely."
"Let me guess—Alison?" he asks.
I nod. "Yup. But I gave as good as I got." I tell him what happened and he smiles.
"Atta girl. Don't put up with their bullshit and next time, hit back—but use your fist," he instructs as we head to the elevator. When I just look at him, he continues. "She won't be expecting it."
I lift my brows. "That's true."
"Of course it is," he replies. "Where's your boyfriend? Doesn't he usually walk you home?"
"They've started practice so he's not around," I tell him.
"Ah, yeah. That's right. The real practices since the season has officially begun."
"Yeah," I say with a sigh. "How much do you think this is going to cut into our time?"
"Honestly?" he asks, looking at me sideways.
I nod.
"A lot—most. He's really amped up because the scouts are here. He wants to get noticed so he's going to be working out more, practicing harder, watching films with coach. Basically whatever he was doing before, times that by at least two," he informs me.
I let out a sigh. "Phone calls and texts. That's what I'm going to be getting from my boyfriend for who knows how long."
"Pretty much."
"Great."
&nb
sp; My phone beeps at one in the morning. I groan, rolling over. The light from the screen has me blinking.
Cam: Sorry I didn't get to call. Sleep well.
That's it? That's all I get? Gah. I'm totally not texting him back after that. I knew it was coming—and this is just the beginning.
Three days later I give in and send him a text. The silence sucks.
Olivia: Hey, babe. I hope football's going good. Don't forget to stretch.
I press send.
Don't forget to stretch? I'm a moron, but I've got nothing new going on here and no clue what's going on there.
Later that night I get a message back.
Cam: Things are good. I'm exhausted. Our first game is this weekend. You going?
Olivia: Yep. I'll be there with Lex and Sebastian.
Cam: You hanging around Smith again?
Olivia: Uh, yeah. Why wouldn't I?
Cam: He was a dick to you.
Olivia: So were you for a lot of years but I'm talking to you, too.
I shouldn't have sent that.
Cam: Touché.
Olivia: Can you call next time?
Cam: I'll try. Sleep good.
Olivia: You too.
The next night I don't hear from him at all.
My phone rings and I rush to answer hoping it's Cam. It's not and I'm not in the mood to chat.
Sebastian gives me a look. "What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Literally," Lex adds.
I shoot her a glare.
"What? My brother's a dick. This isn't news."
Sebastian's eyes narrow. "He's not calling you?"
"Not really," I answer, looking down at my phone that never rings with the calls I want.
"Sometimes he doesn't text either," Alexa informs Sebastian.
"Please, continue. Make my humiliation complete," I snark.
She lifts her hands. "No need for you to be humiliated but there's a real good reason for my big brother to be ashamed of himself."